NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Titans benched quarterback Will Levis after his third interception trailing 31-14 at home against the Cincinnati Bengals. Tennessee went to veteran back-up quarterback Mason Rudolph instead.

There is no reason to continue to start the embattled second-year passer again this season.

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Will Levis needs to be benched moving forward

Punitive measures had to be taken after so poor of a performance. 

"Today wasn't (Levis') day," coach Brian Callahan said after the 37-27 loss. "He had a couple of bad picks, put us in some tough spots. So, I made the decision to sit him down and try to give us a little bit of a spark. And I think we had a series there, it was like three turnovers in like seven plays or something. Again, not all his—the fumbles weren't his fault, but one of them was. And those are things that you have to do sometimes for a quarterback when they're struggling a bit and he was struggling today. So, we'll see moving forward. We got to watch the tape and see what we can correct and how we can do it better. But it definitely wasn't his day today."

Callahan declined to make any definitive statements about the team's immediate future at quarterback with three games remaining this season. 

The Titans scored two touchdowns on their first two possessions against Cincinnati, but then the offense spiraled as it has all season. Levis then fumbled on his next drive, followed by two interceptions, a three-and-out and a Pick Six. Sunday was first nightmare outing Levis has had since returning to Tennessee's lineup for the last six games. 

Levis finished the day 8-of-12 for 89 yards and four total turnovers.

"I can't think that way," said Levis about his shaky job security. "I think earlier in the year, like after the first few games, I got my head spinning and thinking about that and I was able to kind of bring myself back to base and remind just myself who I am and bring the confidence back to my mind. I'm just going to fight every day for this team until I can't anymore and it's not my decision in that respect. So, I just kind of control what I can."

A more permanent benching is for Levis' own good. 

This season was, in part, about determining Levis' future viability for the franchise. Question asked and question answered. Levis should be given the opportunity to compete for the starting job again in 2025, but there is no reason to continue to trot him out there. The biggest issue for the Titans moving forward is a middling draft class at the position.

For Tennessee, the best case scenario is riding out the next two years of Levis' rookie contract and signing a veteran stop-gap in free agency. 

Titans bench Will Levis for Mason Rudolph after awful performance vs Bengals

Tennessee took punitive measures with its starting quarterback

Featured Image: USA TODAY Sports.